Interviews for programming jobs

Atomic Pineapple

First off apologies if this type of thread is not acceptable here, mods feel free to lock, delete or move it if you want.

I have just recently finished a 4 year course in software development and commercial computing.

On Wednesday I have my first interview for a software engineering job.

Now I'm 25 and have been through interviews before and in general I know what to expect.

I was wondering though when it comes to being interviewed for a programming type job what sort of research and preparation I should do before hand?

I presume they will question what I done in college, what I made and questions about my final year project?

Will they ask specific programming related questions or anything like that?

Any other areas I should cover or you recommended I look into as preparation for the interview?

Also have to take an aptitude test as well, something that hasn't gone well for me in the past, any way to prepare for this?

Thanks a lot in advance

Goodshape

draffodx wrote: »

Will they ask specific programming related questions or anything like that?

I've done a few interviews for programming jobs and I think during each of them I was handed a problem or two in the relative language to look over and solve.

They've never been too difficult -- it's not an exam -- they just wanted to make sure I wasn't totally winging it and could actually understand the language.

Aside from that it was discussions about experience and showing some past examples of my work - which you'll usually want to be able to talk about and explain your role and reasons.

Good luck.

Atomic Pineapple

Would it be a good idea to have a sort spec sheet of all the significant pieces of work I done in college and have that with me in the interview or would I be better off just letting them ask about what I done in college

pauldiv

Just be yourself.

Read up on what you did in school because that is all they can ask you about at this stage in your career.

Hope it goes well for you. Good Luck.

Atomic Pineapple

pauldiv wrote: »

Just be yourself.

Read up on what you did in school because that is all they can ask you about at this stage in your career.

Hope it goes well for you. Good Luck.

Thanks, went ok, I blew it on the easiest questions on java ever though, just froze up, ah well, it was my first one and I know a lot more what to expect now.

put this one down to experience

Farls

Bit late on reply here but you can do aptitude tests online if you google them, gets your mind in the swing of thinking for them!

I've had interviews where I was given 40min - 1hr tests in the prescribed language and I've had some interviews where I was asked almost nothing technical. It all depends on the company and the interviewer.

Best thing you can do ( I know this is tough for a college grad )

1. Know your technologies inside out, research interview questions on them.

2. Have a list of the top of your head of projects you have done. Mobile apps are great as you can demonstrate them. But even for team work, support, maintenance, design, documentation purposes be able to demonstrate you have more skills than 'coding'

3. Talk, if you don't it will give them more time to ask you questions. And if you can get a laugh out of them your on the horses back!

Atomic Pineapple

very good advice there farls, i think i got on well as regards to your 2nd and 3rd point but i just totally locked up on the technologies simply because i didn't cover them in preparation for the interview.

Not a total waste though, the experience was great and i think i've learned a lot from one interview

Farls

draffodx wrote: »

i just totally locked up on the technologies simply because i didn't cover them in preparation for the interview.

Search the interweb for interview questions on your technologies of choice and line them all up on a word document, print it and carry it around like your bible. I have said done for Java already. PM me your email address if you like I'll send them on if I can find them here!

fdegir

programming experience/knowledge is important, BUT not everything. noone creates anything from scratch and every company in software industry uses existing material to improve/build things. so, noone will expect from you to create something unique or from scratch. you always have something in your hand to start with.

from this perspective, important thing is being a good team player. in sw business, you work with other people as a team member. you take some part of the problem and work on it, if you have problems/difficulties, others generally be there to help to you. it is important to show interviewers that you are a team player and you can work well within a team. you can give examples from your college projects but you must mention that you worked within a group. (if you have any) of course, projects you completed yourself is important but projects you worked with a team is better.

good luck.

bullpost

The other thing to do is to show a keen interest in the companies products. Seems an obvious one but you'd be surprised at the amount of people who ask no questions about the companies software, products etc.

Atomic Pineapple

Farls wrote: »

Search the interweb for interview questions on your technologies of choice and line them all up on a word document, print it and carry it around like your bible. I have said done for Java already. PM me your email address if you like I'll send them on if I can find them here!

cheers Farls, pm sent

bullpost wrote: »

The other thing to do is to show a keen interest in the companies products. Seems an obvious one but you'd be surprised at the amount of people who ask no questions about the companies software, products etc.

Yeh I looked up a good bit of info on the company and ask a good few questions on what they done and how they done it